Midland Pig Producers is considering its options, after the Environment Agency (EA) granted the company a permit for a proposed largescale pig farm at Foston, in Derbyshire.
EA dealt a significant blow to the company’s plans to install 14 pig houses holding up to 24,500 pigs, including 2,500 sows, when it refused an environmental permit in February 2015. The decision prompted MPP to withdraw its planning application.
But in the past few days, after MPP submitted further evidence, the agency reversed its decision and finally granted the permit.
MPP stressed it is still a long away from getting the green light for the unit, however. It will now take some time to consider whether to put in a new planning application and, if so, to what extent the application would differ from the original plans.
“We said that we would consider our options when we had the planning permit and that is exactly what we will do,” said a company spokesperson. “The world has moved on since the original planning application and we need to look at how, in the current market, we wish to move forward.”
The EA’s latest decision was welcomed by NPA policy services manager, Lizzie Wilson.
“This is a very important step in the right direction and we are pleased the EA has changed its stance on odour from the proposed unit.”